After breakfast, Yuriko, Brunhilde, Koko, and Saya went off to handle settlement matters. The day's agenda was to house the new arrivals from the Anchorage military base. The group was quite large, meaning they first needed to properly assign everyone housing, and only then begin building new homes.
Fortunately, the settlement's territory allowed for expansion. In the worst case, Alex could simply push the protective stone wall further out — his strength made that possible.
Brunhilde, Yuriko, and Saya calmly headed off, while Koko, as usual, grumbled on her way out that she "wanted to be lazy too," though no one ever really listened.
Once breakfast was over, Alex brought the dishes to the kitchen, then settled into an armchair in the living room with a book, deciding to pick up where he left off yesterday — right before Rory's journey to becoming an Apostle began.
The other girls had also finished eating and peeked into the living room, thinking about what to do. Shizuka was the first to make a decision — she grabbed her things and headed for the clinic. There were always people in the settlement who needed treatment. Especially one "notorious" group: while ordinary workers got injured only occasionally, this bunch showed up at the clinic practically every evening. Day after day.
"Alex, I'm heading out. I can feel those idiots are going to show up injured again," Shizuka grumbled, carrying a portable medical capsule in her hands. "I don't want to leave Mari alone with those maniacs."
"Oh, Shizuka, when did you become so grumpy? So what if someone got injured again?" Rika smirked.
"Not someone — the same ones every single day! Mari and I just walk into the clinic, and they're already at the door, covered in bruises and scrapes. Always the same: brawls or overzealous training," Shizuka pouted.
"Haha, Ryu and Ken being themselves," Chun-Li laughed.
"It's not funny! And it's not just them — Jin, Sean, and the rest are just as bad. At least with Kenichi it's understandable — that pervy old man Kensei is always beating him up. But why do they keep showing up with broken bones?"
"I'll talk to Mom to make Dad calm down. Sounds like he's back to his old habits again," Renka said seriously, barely holding back laughter.
"Worst case, I'll just load them up with work. Let them build or chop down trees — anything that leaves no time for fighting," Alex shrugged.
Shizuka nodded irritably, gave Alex a goodbye kiss, waved to the others, and left. As soon as the door closed behind her, a wave of laughter exploded in the living room. Alex just shook his head — he genuinely felt sorry for Shizuka and Mari, who had to deal with that wild bunch every day.
After she left, Becca and Revy also found something to do — they gathered their gear and headed to the armory to upgrade their arsenal. Alex only realized they were leaving when the girls kissed him goodbye. He waved to them and returned to his book.
However, his peace didn't last long — Alcina came up and placed a hand on his shoulder. When he looked up, she held out her hand — clearly wanting something. Without asking questions, Alex pulled a new book from his inventory that he thought she might like and handed it to her. In thanks, she kissed him on the cheek and dove into reading.
Alex wasn't surprised — Alcina rarely left the house, which gave the other girls plenty of reasons to joke about "Madam Dracula," much to her irritation.
With Shizuka, Becca, and Revy gone, the rest of the girls didn't have much to do. Kiriko and Namiyo took up housework like proper homemakers, while the rest either lazed around or wandered aimlessly. The laziest ones didn't even bother looking for something to do — they just went back to sleep. Not upstairs, but right there in the living room, turning it into an impromptu pile of cozy nappers.
Soon, the girls decided to play some video games to entertain themselves. They settled on a fighting game — the perfect genre for some friendly competition. Hearing the familiar sounds of the game, Alex looked up and saw them battling each other with intense enthusiasm on the console. A worried thought instantly crossed his mind: Let's just hope this doesn't end in a real fight…
He knew his girls. It could.
Silently, Alex prayed that the virtual tournament wouldn't spill into reality. Then he returned to his book, listening as the girls argued about who was cheating and who was just "bad at the game."
Everything was peaceful... until he felt someone lie down on his lap. Lifting the book and looking down, he saw Renka curled up on him like a cat, rubbing her cheek against his stomach.
Alex smiled and, holding the book in one hand, gently ran his fingers through her hair with the other. Renka purred happily and continued her feline act.
However, she had a different plan entirely. This was a calculated move — to distract Alex from his reading. Realizing that purring alone wasn't enough, she went on the offensive: nibbling his hands, pinching his cheeks, and doing whatever she could to demand his attention.
"What's wrong, Renka? Are you really that bored?" Alex asked, glancing down at her with a barely restrained smile.
Now that she had his attention, Renka quickly changed her posture — from lying down to sitting up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and affectionately nuzzled his cheek. Alex studied her closely, wondering what prompted this sudden wave of affection. Even the other girls paused the game — curious about what Renka was up to and why she was acting like a cat in heat.
"Alex, you love me, don't you?" she asked with a sly smile, starting off carefully.
"Of course. How could I not love you? You're adorable," Alex replied calmly, placing a hand on her waist.
"Then… if you love me, can you do something for me?" Renka whispered, gazing into his eyes.
Alex raised an eyebrow, instantly realizing this was all just a prelude to a request. But now he was curious — what exactly did she want? And not just him — the other girls were watching with wide eyes, clearly wondering the same. Alex glanced at them and noticed they were staring intently at Renka. He gave a subtle nod as if to say, Alright, go ahead, I won't say no.
Renka couldn't hold back — she hugged Alex tighter and gave him a big kiss on the cheek.
"Hmm… maybe you'll thank me later," Alex chuckled, feeling her lips press against his skin. "But for now, just tell me what you want."
"Yeah, stop clinging to him already! Now we're curious — what are you trying to get out of Alex?" Rei said with mild irritation, as if she was about to pull Renka off his lap.
"You guys are so serious. I just wanted to know if Alex has anything in his workshop that could help us in battle. Unlike some of you, we don't use guns," Renka said, casting a meaningful look at a few specific girls.
"And who stopped you from learning how to shoot?" Ada replied lazily, lying on her side with her hand supporting her head. "I learned how to shoot and now I get to be lazy."
"For starters, my mind isn't filled only with fighting and training — I also think about Alex," Renka said defiantly, rolling her eyes. "And my training is focused on mastering Chi-Yu — the martial art used by the first emperor of China!"
"Who the hell cares if it's ancient or not? Just say what you want from Alex already!" Rika interrupted, losing her patience.
Renka bared her teeth and started growling at her. Rika only smirked back, as if to say, Go ahead and try.
The other girls also started cheering on Rika, urging Renka to finally spit out her request. Renka felt like everyone had betrayed her. She glared at them angrily, then turned her gaze to Alex. Her eyes softened, filled with hurt, as if she hoped he'd take pity on her.
Alex wasn't sure whether to laugh or sympathize — he was already used to how quickly the girls could change their expressions. Even Alcina had put her book aside and was now looking at Renka with interest.
Alex made an exaggerated show of regret, silently hinting that it was time to get to the point.
"Alex... do you have anything that could help in a fight against enemies you have to get close to?" Renka asked, giving him her best puppy-dog eyes.
"Sweetheart, I need details. I've got all sorts of things that could help in battle — weapons, gadgets, you name it. What exactly do you need?" Alex replied, gently pinching her cheek.
"I think I know what she wants," Cammy said thoughtfully, staring at the ceiling.
"Me too," Miu added. "Alex mentioned those things... what were they called… Cacodemons? The ones that look like floating meatballs with teeth. I remember the girls complaining that it's hard to get close to them because they fly."
The melee fighters all nodded in agreement. Indeed, it was difficult to reach such demons, especially if there wasn't a ledge nearby to jump from.
Alex looked at Renka. She nodded rapidly, confirming that this was exactly what she had meant to ask.
"Well, in that case, I've got not just a few useful items, but also a couple of techniques that'll help you reach those flying beasts," he said with a smile.
"Oooh, let me guess, my brilliant husband," Alcina said with a smirk, setting her book down. "You've got techniques that let ordinary mortals run through the air? Did I nail it?"
The girls exchanged glances, first at Alcina, then at Alex. They all knew full well that he possessed a vast knowledge of techniques from countless worlds. So it didn't surprise them one bit that he could teach people to run through the air — especially considering how his "body flicker" technique had already made their lives so much easier.
Alex nodded with a slight smile, confirming Alcina's words. Yes, he really did have such techniques. But, as always, there was a catch — something the girls needed to hear before they rushed off to start training.
"All right, out with it," Ada said lazily, tossing a paper ball at him. "Even I'm curious what it's like to run through the air."
"Okay, okay," Alex chuckled, raising his hands. "In truth, there are many techniques that allow you to either fly or run through the air. But most of them are pretty hard to master. So right now, I can only offer two — and even then, with some conditions."
He held up two fingers, putting emphasis on the word "two."
"And what are these techniques?" Chiquita asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The first one comes from a world where Shinigami exist. Think of them as reapers who guide souls to the other side," Alex explained.
"Oh! I know where that's from!" Miu perked up. "The boys at school were always talking about that anime. I think it was called Bleach? With the redheaded swordsman?"
"Exactly. Miu's right. That technique is from that world. But I'll say it right away — traveling there wouldn't suit everyone. Most likely only Saeko, Beatrix, Nobuna, Rei… and maybe Rory," he added with a faint smile.
"And why only them? What are we, chopped liver?" Renka huffed, plopping herself onto Alex's lap and tugging on his cheek. The other girls he hadn't named nodded in agreement.
"It's simple," he began. "In that world, a Shinigami's main weapon is their zanpakuto — a physical manifestation of their spiritual energy. Since most of you don't use bladed weapons, there's not much point in going there. Unless… you want to forge your own zanpakuto. But that's a conversation for another time. For now, you can just watch the anime or read the manga. Anyway, in that world, there's a technique that lets you form a platform beneath your feet using reishi — basically, spiritual particles."
"Alex, I hate to break it to you, but… can we even sense these so-called spiritual particles if we're not Shinigami?" Valmet asked skeptically.
Alex gave a lazy yawn and said,"Ladies, I already taught you how to use chakra. Trust me, getting you to sense reishi is just a matter of technique."
The girls exchanged looks, thinking it over… and realized he had a point. Everyone in their "family" had learned to use chakra to some degree — even Yuriko, Namiyo, and Kiriko. Especially after Alex offhandedly mentioned that chakra could slow aging. Of course, most of them used it primarily as extra defense — in case of surprise attacks. Even with the energy shield Alex had made for them, an enemy still needed to be stopped somehow.
"All right, that world does sound interesting… but let's put the Shinigami technique on hold. What's the second one?" Saeko asked calmly.
"The second technique comes from the world of pirates—" Alex began, but was immediately interrupted.
"You mean that place you're always rambling about? Where you want to become Pirate King and find some 'One Piece'?" Rei asked with a smirk.
"Ahem… Yeah, you're right," Alex coughed, scratching the back of his head. "In that world, there's an organization called the Marines, and they have a technique called Geppo. The idea is simple: you kick off the air to rise higher. Think of it like a double jump in a video game. Except you're not limited to just one — you can do as many as you like, combining Geppo with other movement techniques."
He coughed again, remembering his childhood dreams of becoming the Pirate King.
"Since you're done explaining the techniques, how about telling us what you've got stashed in your workshop?" Nobuna drawled, leaning back against the couch and propping her cheek on her fist. "We all know it's not like we'll master this stuff overnight."
"Well, I do have something left," Alex nodded. "Becky and Stitch's combat suits already have a built-in double-jump function — kind of a Geppo imitation. They're equipped with air boots that generate pressure beneath your feet, letting you kick off the air and jump higher."
He raised a finger, emphasizing the last point.
"Then why are we still sitting here?" Renka exclaimed, jumping off his lap. "I want to try what it's like to do a double jump, like in a game!"
She grabbed Alex's hand and pulled him along, unable to hide her excitement.
Alex didn't resist — he gave in to Renka's enthusiasm and let her pull him out of the chair. As soon as she succeeded, she eagerly started pushing him from behind, steering him toward the workshop. The other girls stood up with interest—they wanted to see the air boots too. Chatting cheerfully, they followed Alex and Renka to his workshop.
Renka didn't stop for a second—she kept pushing Alex, urging him toward his workspace. The girls had been here before, so they didn't linger at the entrance, quickly scanning the familiar mess.
When Alex finally reached his desk, he sighed deeply, trying to remember where he'd put those very air boots. While he rummaged through his memory, the girls caught up and began inspecting the room. Alex opened one of the cabinets and started digging through it, sorting through boxes with ridiculous labels. As usual, the shelves were a mess — finding something specific wasn't easy.
Recalling Brunhilda's warning, the girls cautiously peeked inside cabinets filled with both harmless knick-knacks and potentially dangerous inventions. Their curiosity flared, and they eagerly examined the strange objects Alex had created.
Finally, in one of the cabinets, he spotted a box labeled "Double Jump." Alex immediately knew—that was exactly what he needed. Unlike the built-in boots in Stitch's and Becky's suits, he needed a separate pair now.
He pulled out the box, opened it, and confirmed that inside were silver greaves. Nodding, he closed the lid and carried it to the table. Turning toward the girls, Alex heard their laughter—they were engrossed in joking about the silly names on the boxes and playfully teasing him about the creative mess. Shaking his head, Alex got back to work and started checking the greaves' functionality.
They were operational, but he quickly noticed one flaw: the current version only allowed for one jump at a time. He needed to make them suitable for repeated use.
Wasting no time, he began a quick upgrade.
"What are you working on? Didn't you say they were ready?" Nobuna asked, leaning on his back and peeking over his shoulder.
"That's the old version. I'm just going to improve it a bit, and everything will be fine," Alex muttered without looking up.
"Don't want to upset you, but one pair won't be enough. Or do you expect us to share them like kids with toys?" Ada added with a smirk, lightly poking his cheek.
"Don't worry. I'll make personal greaves for each of you. Right now, I'm just perfecting this prototype," Alex replied, rolling his eyes.
"Can we choose the color?" Rika asked with interest, leaning on the table.
"Color, style... and how they'll match your outfits," Alex answered dryly, still focused on the greaves.
The girls nodded happily and immediately started discussing out loud what they wanted their air greaves to look like. Meanwhile, Alex finished the upgrade and now all that remained was to make new pairs according to their preferences.
While they debated and went over the details, he tiredly rubbed his face, once again reminded of an undeniable truth: girls can spend endless time choosing clothes... and shoes—especially shoes. When they finally settled on their choices, Alex decided not to waste time and used creation magic to speed up the process.
Each girl received her own unique pair, perfectly matching in color, shape, and even style. Only Alcina, Kiriko, and Namiyo politely declined—they simply didn't need such devices since they didn't take part in battles.
"I never cease to be amazed at how useful magic can be. One second—and done! And the best part—the greaves are comfortable, no pinching anywhere. You could even go to a fancy restaurant in these," Ada commented, gracefully showing off her new gear on her legs.
"Yeah. It's like getting a free boutique along with a husband," Rika smirked, getting used to her new footwear.
"Thanks, ladies. I really felt your love... and didn't feel like a free clothing store at all," Alex snorted.
"Don't be upset. Want me to cheer you up?" Chiquita offered with a mischievous smile as she settled on his lap.
"You'd better practice with the new toys. You might get hurt otherwise," Alex grumbled, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Great idea. So, girls, who wants to see who masters the new gear faster?" Cammy challenged, looking around at the others.
"Heh, get ready to eat dust," Renka smirked, accepting the challenge.
"You can train at the range—it's free right now," Alex said, pointing toward the training area.
"Nope, we're going to the settlement's playground!" Chun-Li replied with a playful grin.
"And why?" Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Alex, what a silly question! Of course, to show off! So everyone can see what a talented husband we have and how cool our new toys are!" Chiquita answered cheerfully and kissed him on the nose.
Alex looked at the girls, who nodded seriously. But he knew perfectly well—they just wanted to show off their new air greaves. Before he could say anything, the girls all kissed him on the lips in gratitude. Even Nagahide and Katsuie, slightly embarrassed, kissed Alex on the cheek to thank him for the gift.
He smiled as he watched the girls rush off—they were eager to show their upgrades to the rest of the settlement. Only Alex, Alcina, Kiriko, and Namiyo remained in the workshop. They silently watched the others run away, smiles on their faces.
Alex sighed softly and, together with the three women, headed back to the lounge. While Alcina, Namiyo, and Kiriko began chatting about various topics to pass the time, Alex couldn't focus on his book—the girls, making him move around, had awakened an inner restlessness. Now he wanted to do something to avoid slipping back into a lazy state again.
At that moment, Anya came down the stairs from the second floor. As usual, her pet—a baby dragon named Bond—was comfortably perched on her head. The girl noticed her thoughtful father sitting in the chair and, smiling brightly, made a nimble jump and landed on his lap.
"What are you up to, daddy?" she asked, cupping his cheeks with her small hands.
"I'm thinking about what to do with myself," Alex smirked, gently poking her nose. "Your moms made me move around, and now I need to find some use for the leftover motivation before I switch back to energy-saving mode."
"Then shall we go for a walk?" Anya suggested hopefully, her eyes sparkling already dreaming of an adventure.
"We can go for a walk," Alex nodded. "But Bond stays home. Remember our agreement? Until we return to daddy's home world, Bond must stay inside."
He softly stroked his daughter's head and began massaging her cheeks. Anya nodded vigorously—so much that Bond nearly slipped off her head. Alex couldn't help but laugh. Namiyo quietly giggled as she watched the sweet moment. Getting up from the chair, she reached out to take the little dragon. Bond, now in her arms, rubbed his snout contentedly against her palm, yawned, and instantly fell asleep.
Alex shook his head, recalling last night when the girls compared the baby dragon to a kitten or puppy. It seemed they were right—for now, when he was little, there was hardly any difference.
Holding Anya in his arms, Alex stepped outside, pondering where to go. While he thought, Anya was looking in one direction and noticed her moms jumping to impressive heights. Curious, she tugged at her father's cheek to get his attention.
When Alex looked at her, Anya pointed toward the direction where she had seen Renka jumping, using the air greaves and trying to keep her balance so she wouldn't crash to the ground with a bang.
"Daddy, why do my moms jump so high?" Anya asked with curiosity.
"That's all thanks to the new device your daddy made for them," he replied with a smile. "They asked me to create something to help them reach the flying toothy meatballs."
Anya nodded seriously, though she didn't fully understand what her father meant. Still, she looked as if she had just heard something very important.
At that moment, Alex finally decided on their destination—he would visit Recca. Recently, she had learned the truth about who he really was—the Demon King—together with Moira and Claire. He was curious how she had taken the truth and how she was coping with such a revelation.
Setting Anya on his shoulders, Alex headed toward the clinic. Along the way, they chatted about trivial things, and time flew by unnoticed. Upon arrival, he set his daughter down, picked her up in his arms, and went inside.
First, he decided to visit Shizuku and Mari, and only then go upstairs. Approaching one of the rooms, Alex peeked inside. As usual, a group of familiar guys were lying on beds, laughing loudly. He wasn't surprised—they were regular clients.
Closing the door, he guessed that Mari and Shizuku were probably in the lounge. Heading there, Alex slightly opened the door—and he was right. Inside, both women were engaged in a lively conversation.
"Mom!" Anya exclaimed joyfully upon seeing Shizuku.
"Anya!" Shizuku replied with the same happiness, rising from her chair. "And Alex too!"
Shizuku quickly jumped up from her seat, ran over to Alex, and immediately took Anya from him, pressing the girl against her full chest. Anya, already used to this display of affection, quickly lifted her head to avoid being trapped again between two soft pillows. Shizuku laughed and gently rubbed her cheek against her daughter's crown.
"What brings you here, Alex? And with your daughter in your arms, no less," Mari asked kindly with a warm smile.
"Just out for a walk. Killing time, going back and forth," Alex shrugged as he sat down on a chair.
Mari nodded understandingly and glanced at Anya, who had comfortably settled on Shizuku's lap. Like any caring mother, Shizuku was trying to feed her daughter some cookies, and Anya, like a little hamster, nibbled on the treat, blinking adorably. Mari couldn't help but smile warmly at the sight.
"By the way, I saw your regular patients. Have they been here since morning?" Alex asked with a smirk.
"They haven't left since yesterday. Those idiots got injured again during training, so they're just lying around recovering. I'd love to kick them out, but I'm such a fragile girl—I can't handle these muscle-bound gorillas," Mari replied with a theatrical sigh.
"Want me to help?" Alex said lazily, resting his cheek on his fist, watching her with interest.
"You're going to kick them out?" Mari raised an eyebrow, glancing at him.
He just nodded silently. Mari thought for a second, then with an irritated sigh nodded back, giving the green light.
Alex smirked with satisfaction, stood up from the chair, and left the room. Anya and Shizuku watched him go. For a moment, the little princess even felt a bit sorry for the poor guys who were about to be kicked out—but that thought quickly vanished when Shizuku handed her another cookie.
Approaching the room where the "regular clients" were resting, Alex burst open the door with a loud bang. Instant silence fell over the room — everyone stared at him. The smile on Alex's face was so wide and menacing that everyone's hair stood on end.
"What are you doing here, Alex?" Ryuu asked nervously.
"There's an eviction order," Alex announced with the same wide grin.
"What? What order?.." Jin started to ask but didn't get the chance to finish.
Alex didn't bother explaining. He walked over to the first "victims" — Ryuu and Ken — grabbed both by their legs, and dragged them toward the exit. Kicking the door open with ease, he tossed them out onto the road right in front of the clinic. They landed flat on their faces.
Without wasting a second, Alex returned and hauled the rest out in just minutes, repeating the process three more times. As soon as the last guy was outside, Alex slammed the door right in front of their noses — just as they were about to protest.
The stunned and annoyed guys stood on the doorstep, unable to believe what had happened. Passersby who witnessed the scene burst into laughter.
Alex returned to the lounge, gave a thumbs-up, and, sitting back down on the chair with a calm expression, said.
"Done. Just kicked them all out and slammed the door. Now they definitely won't be sparring."
Mari and Shizuku burst out laughing, imagining the scene. Even Anya, with her mouth full of cookies, gave an approving thumbs-up in response.
Alex smiled too. He liked seeing everyone happy. He decided to sit a little longer with Mari and Shizuku before heading upstairs with Anya to visit Recca and find out how she was handling the truth about his real identity.
To be continued...
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